A tape carrier package (TCP) is a semiconductor package manufactured by bonding an Au bump of an LCD driver IC (LDI) and an inner lead of a carrier tape with a thereto compression bonding method using a tape automated bonding (TAB) technology and applying resin thereto.
The carrier tape is configured such that a copper foil is bonded to a polyimide film using an adhesive, a circuit is formed in the copper foil through a process of various steps for manufacturing the tape, and a copper pattern is plated with Sn. The bonding of the LCD driver IC (LDI) and the tape is made by an Au—Sn eutectic reaction. This is called an inner lead bonding (ILB) process. The tape carrier package is bonded to an LCD panel and a printed circuit board (or FPC) through an outer lead bonding (OLB) process. For the outer lead bonding, an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is mainly used.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a process of manufacturing a conventional tape carrier package.
Referring to FIG. 1, an insulating layer 10 is prepared (S1), and an adhesive (not drawn) is applied to one surface of the insulating layer. The insulating layer 10 is formed of polyimide. Next, through holes are formed by performing a punching process to the insulating layer 10 (S2).
Then, a metal layer 20 is formed on a surface to which the adhesive of the insulating layer 10 is applied. The metal layer 20 is formed by laminating Cu on the surface to which the adhesive of the insulating layer is applied. In this case, the metal layer 20 is dried for 6 to 24 hours at 160° C. to improve adhesion with the adhesive.
After activating a surface by performing various chemical treatments to the metal layer 20, a photo resist is applied to the surface, and an exposure process and a development process are carried out. After the development process is completed, necessary circuits are formed through an etching process, and a circuit pattern layer 22 is formed by peeling off the photo resist (S4). After the circuit pattern layer 22 is formed, to selectively plate the circuit pattern layer 22, a solder-resist layer 60 is formed by being printed using a solder-resist (S6). Next, a plating layer 70 is formed on the circuit pattern layer 22. At this time, the plating layer 70 is formed at a part except for an area which is masked by the solder-resist layer 60 on the circuit pattern layer 22.
In the process of manufacturing the tape carrier package, a mold is required for the punching process. Thus, when developing a product, due to CNC punching, the delay in development and equipment load are generated. Furthermore, it is to be costly to apply the adhesive in a semi-hardened state to the insulating layer 10. Also, after forming the metal layer on the adhesive applied to the insulating layer 10, it should be dried, and it takes maximum 24 hours to dry it. Thus, this became a factor that increases the production cost and time of the tape carrier package.